Emily Markey EDC 102 H 18 September 2011 Personal Expertise
My area of personal expertise is the sport of fast pitch softball. In eighth grade, I saw all of the girls on the school softball team wearing their jerseys to school and was instantly overcome with a desire to wear one of my own. I was interested in the sport, but I had never actually played on a team besides in gym class. Still, I was convinced that with enough practice, I could be a Chariho Charger. I wanted to be one of those players who could always be found talking to one another, helping each other with school work, and just having a great time together. Seeing the team’s camaraderie, I set a goal for myself: I would make the high school softball team.
In May 2007, I started training for the team. When I asked what exercises I could do to improve, most of the players and a former coach looked at me disdainfully and said that maybe I should just try-out for a recreation league and leave the school team for serious players. However, I did not want to be on a recreation league, I wanted the respect and pride of playing for the school, which seemed to be a crazy notion to everyone that I told. Not to be dispirited, I played catch and practiced hitting with my dad all summer and lifted weights when the weather was lousy. I would watch college softball games on television and read all of the softball books that I could find. Still, learning through observation and actually doing something are totally different, as many people pointed out. If I discussed the concept with my friend who played softball for a recreation league, she would say, “I have been playing softball my whole life. If I tried out and was rejected, there is no way that they would take you.”
The day before try-outs, my dad convinced the coach from Pilgrim High School, who was intrigued by my large ambition, to give me a training session where I was able to learn some important techniques such as how to field and when to swing the bat. Try-outs were by far the most grueling experience of my life. For each of the three days, I attempted to look like I knew what I was doing in a sport where everyone told me I did not belong. My body reached a new level of pain after the first day because I was sore from the day of training the day before, and was currently being pushed to my physical limits by the coaches. Finally, try-outs were over and the verdict was given: I had made the team. Euphoria filled me as I left the gym beaming.
I learned throughout the season and refined my abilities. All of my free time was spent in practice, playing games, or watching others play. I quickly picked up some of the finer points of the game and honed my skills. When the season ended, I was among the few who were eager for the next year. After a year of training, the next year’s try-outs finally arrived. Although not everyone who had been on the team the year before made it, I was able to keep my hard-earned place on the team that I loved. Every year in high school I would play and have the time of my life. The friends that I made on the field soon became friends off of the field. We had team parties and I would hang out with my team at each other’s houses almost every weekend. Even if we couldn’t be together, my teammates and I talked on Facebook or through texts about how the season was going and what aspects we needed to improve on. Each season I learned an immense amount of new knowledge and became a better player.
I was named captain of the team during my senior year. I never thought that I would actually achieve the title even though I had desperately wanted it since my freshman season. I was elated as I led my team in practices and warm-ups. We had a winning season that year and I made several new friends that have greatly impacted my softball career. My friends have been playing softball since they were four, so when I did not fully understand a concept or needed help improving a skill, I would ask one of them. Their guidance helped me to become a better player and in turn, a better captain. My team ended up having an Emily Markey Day to celebrate me being their captain where the coach told me how he was honored to have taught me to play from an inexperienced freshman to his captain.
When my last season ended, my senior night was a very bitter/sweet occasion. I was miserable because my days on that softball team were over, but I was delighted to see that I had made so many friends who did not want me to leave. I come away having learned a new sport and with so many happy memories to look back on. When I first began, I only knew the general idea of the game. I eventually learned different plays and rules, the proper way to hit and bunt, and how to cooperate as a team in order to play our best. I will build upon these skills by playing intramural softball at URI where hopefully I can learn even more and make new friends. After four years being on my high school softball team, I feel confident that softball has become my personal expertise.
EDC 102 H
18 September 2011
Personal Expertise
My area of personal expertise is the sport of fast pitch softball. In eighth grade, I saw all of the girls on the school softball team wearing their jerseys to school and was instantly overcome with a desire to wear one of my own. I was interested in the sport, but I had never actually played on a team besides in gym class. Still, I was convinced that with enough practice, I could be a Chariho Charger. I wanted to be one of those players who could always be found talking to one another, helping each other with school work, and just having a great time together. Seeing the team’s camaraderie, I set a goal for myself: I would make the high school softball team.
In May 2007, I started training for the team. When I asked what exercises I could do to improve, most of the players and a former coach looked at me disdainfully and said that maybe I should just try-out for a recreation league and leave the school team for serious players. However, I did not want to be on a recreation league, I wanted the respect and pride of playing for the school, which seemed to be a crazy notion to everyone that I told. Not to be dispirited, I played catch and practiced hitting with my dad all summer and lifted weights when the weather was lousy. I would watch college softball games on television and read all of the softball books that I could find. Still, learning through observation and actually doing something are totally different, as many people pointed out. If I discussed the concept with my friend who played softball for a recreation league, she would say, “I have been playing softball my whole life. If I tried out and was rejected, there is no way that they would take you.”
The day before try-outs, my dad convinced the coach from Pilgrim High School, who was intrigued by my large ambition, to give me a training session where I was able to learn some important techniques such as how to field and when to swing the bat. Try-outs were by far the most grueling experience of my life. For each of the three days, I attempted to look like I knew what I was doing in a sport where everyone told me I did not belong. My body reached a new level of pain after the first day because I was sore from the day of training the day before, and was currently being pushed to my physical limits by the coaches. Finally, try-outs were over and the verdict was given: I had made the team. Euphoria filled me as I left the gym beaming.
I learned throughout the season and refined my abilities. All of my free time was spent in practice, playing games, or watching others play. I quickly picked up some of the finer points of the game and honed my skills. When the season ended, I was among the few who were eager for the next year. After a year of training, the next year’s try-outs finally arrived. Although not everyone who had been on the team the year before made it, I was able to keep my hard-earned place on the team that I loved. Every year in high school I would play and have the time of my life. The friends that I made on the field soon became friends off of the field. We had team parties and I would hang out with my team at each other’s houses almost every weekend. Even if we couldn’t be together, my teammates and I talked on Facebook or through texts about how the season was going and what aspects we needed to improve on. Each season I learned an immense amount of new knowledge and became a better player.
I was named captain of the team during my senior year. I never thought that I would actually achieve the title even though I had desperately wanted it since my freshman season. I was elated as I led my team in practices and warm-ups. We had a winning season that year and I made several new friends that have greatly impacted my softball career. My friends have been playing softball since they were four, so when I did not fully understand a concept or needed help improving a skill, I would ask one of them. Their guidance helped me to become a better player and in turn, a better captain. My team ended up having an Emily Markey Day to celebrate me being their captain where the coach told me how he was honored to have taught me to play from an inexperienced freshman to his captain.
When my last season ended, my senior night was a very bitter/sweet occasion. I was miserable because my days on that softball team were over, but I was delighted to see that I had made so many friends who did not want me to leave. I come away having learned a new sport and with so many happy memories to look back on. When I first began, I only knew the general idea of the game. I eventually learned different plays and rules, the proper way to hit and bunt, and how to cooperate as a team in order to play our best. I will build upon these skills by playing intramural softball at URI where hopefully I can learn even more and make new friends. After four years being on my high school softball team, I feel confident that softball has become my personal expertise.